primogeniture

Primogeniture

The status of being the firstborn child among several children of the same parents. A rule of inheritance atCommon Lawthrough which the oldest male child has the right to succeed to the estate of an ancestor to the exclusion of younger siblings, both male and female, as well as other relatives.

primogeniture

n. Latin for "first born," the ancient rule from feudal England (except in the County of Kent) that the oldest son would inherit the entire estate of his parents (or nearest ancestor), and, if there was no male heir, the daughters would take (receive the property) in equal shares. The intent was to preserve larger properties from being broken up into small holdings, which might weaken the power of nobles. It does not exist in the United States.

primogeniture

being first-born. Many legal systems have from time to time and place to place given precedence to the first-born in inheritance. It has the benefit of preserving large hard-won estates. It is not popular with the other children. Concentration of wealth in money as opposed to land has made it much less useful. It no longer applies to ordinary property in the UK.

PRIMOGENITURE. The state of being first born the eldest.
2. Formerly primogeniture gave a title in cases of descent to the
oldest son in preference to the other children; this unjust distinction has
been generally abolished in the United States.

As with their American counterparts, there has been considerable mixture along the way, so that 'Creole' encompasses persons of a lighter shade with French settler primogeniture as well as others who look as if they themselves had come directly from Mozambique or Madagascar.

299) - the author recognizes many factors differentiating the historical development of Eastern Europe from the West's: a lack of primogeniture and democratic tradition, the repetition of laws in the Slav lands, economic backwardness, and bureaucratic rigidity.

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